Surgical forceps



May 12, 1953 J. L. MARCO SURGICAL FORCEPS Filed June 10, 1952 FIG.5

INVENTOR. John L. Marco ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1953 I: 2,538,097 I i SURGICLAL FOR-GEES John L. Marco, KeWGardens, N. Y., assignor to Goodman-Khmer Company, 1110., New York;

N Y.,.a. cnrporation of New York I Applicationdunelll; 1952, Serial umzeaczz.

My invention relates to an extractor partied; l'arly adapted for the guiding of a fetal head.

av caesarian through the incision made when section is performed. An important object of my invention is the provision of an instrument which may be folded so that the handle is completely out of the way when the blade of the instrument is inserted in an incision yet locks automatically into a single shaft after implaccment ali' with a single pivot.

Other advantages will be apparent from the specification and drawings, in which: i

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the forceps;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary partially broken away section showing the joint; between the handle portion and the forceps proper;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to.Fig.,,2lbut with the ,iointin closed position;- f1." Fig. 4. is a crosssectional view along line 4+4 of Fig. 3'; 11 j. if.

Fig. 5 shows the instrument being inserted around the head of a fetus;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with the instrument in position for lifting the head of the fetus.

Referring to the drawings, I represents a single fenestrated or spoon-like forceps blade or base with an open center shaped in an exaggerated cephalic curve and formed of relatively thin yet rigid material, preferably metal, having an upper shaft 2. The upper end of shaft 2 is split at 3 to form guide arms 5' and 5 for retention of the flat swivel projection 6 on the upper shaft l. The flat swivel projection 6 is held pivotally within the guide arms 5' and 5 by meansof a swivel pin 8 passing through arms 5' and 5 and through projection 6 as shown by Figs. 1 through 4.

The projection 6 is pivoted considerably below the top of the arms 5' and 5 and is constructed with an indentation 9 so that the upper and lower shafts 2 and 1 are allowed to rotate on each other in one direction only by reason of the fact that indentation 9 makes contact with stop pin H] at the uppermost portion of arms 5' and 5. It will be seen by Fig. 3 that because of the indentation 9 the shaft 1 may swing into alignment with shaft 2 but may go no further because of stop 'pin II].

In order that shafts 2 and I may be locked in alignment I provide for a collar II restricted in its upward movement by a stop lug l2 and restricted in its downward movement by the head l3 of swivel pin 3. It will be seen that when shaft 1 is brought into alignment with shaft 2 the collar II will drop and cover the joinder be- 4 Claims (Cl. 128*361) tween shaft I and shaft 2. effectively locking themin aligned position. r I

In order that shaft 1 may fold back more ms; 90 I provide a notch i4; in the arms 5 "and 5". This notch or indentation H is necessary for the use of the instrument and is shown graphicallyby Fig. 5, and will be explainediia more detail later. v

The shaft 1 above the stop lug It is curved inwardly at l5 to a point directly aboveth'e medial point of the forceps i and then is curved outwardly at 16 to terminate in a handle il. In this connection it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that alifting of thehandl'e' 'fl, when shafts2 and 1 are locked in alignmentjwill create a balanced pull; at the center of'the'foreep blade, as indicated-by dotted line arrcwin E'ig'.f61 Operation incision is madethroughzthe abdominal and the instrument in folded .positiqm-Jas shown by Fig. 5, is introduced into the cavity around the head of the fetus. It is extremely necessary in inserting the forceps blade that the handle be completely out of the way and therefore folded back at more than a 90 angle in order that the blade be allowed to completely enter the cavity through the incision. This has been provided for by the notch M in the guide arms 5' and 5, and the more than 90 foldback of the handle I! and shaft 1 allows for the introduction of the instrument which would otherwise be impossible due to the obstructing pregnant uterus in the anterior abdominal wall as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

When the instrument has cradled the cranium of the fetus the handle I! is lifted upward allowing the collar II to drop by gravity and lock the shafts 2 and l in position as soon as they come into alignment, at which time further lifting of the handle l'l will exert a pull directly'upwards as shown by the dotted line arrow of Fig. 6, lifting the head of the fetus through the incision without injury since the entire cranium is cradled in the spoon-like forceps blade, and all weight is evenly distributed.

It will be understood that all of the parts of the instrument are made smooth and of as few pieces as possible, since such a type of manufacture greatly decreases the time necessary for actual application without causing trauma to delicate tissue.

Various changes in the structure of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of my invention in which I claim:

I claim:

1. In a surgical instrument of the character described, an open spoon-like base conforming approximately to the shape of an infants cranium, a shaft leading from said base and split at its uppermost portion, a second shaft bent inwardly disposed above said base and pivotally attached within the split of said first named shaft, said pivot being positioned'substantially below the terminus of said first named shaft, a collar surrounding said second named shaft and adapted to move over the juncture between said shafts and hold them in rigid relationship the one with the other.

2. In a surgical instrument of the character described, an open spoon-like base conforming approximately to the shape of an infants cranium, a shaft leading from said base and split at its uppermost portion, a second shaft bent inwardly and outwardly terminating in a handle said outward bend disposed above the central portion of said base, said second named shaft being pivotally attached to said first named shaft and embraced within the split of said first named shaft said pivot being positioned substantially below the terminus of said first named shaft, a collar surrounding said second named shaft and adapted to move over the juncture be-' tween said shafts and hold them in rigid relationship the one with the other.

3. In a surgical instrument of the character described, an open spoon-like base conforming approximately to the shape of an infants cranium, a shaft leading from said base and split at its uppermost portion, a second shaft 10 said first named shaft said pivot being positioned substantially below the terminus of said first named shaft, a collar surrounding said second named shaft and adapted to move over the juncture between said shafts and hold them in rigid relationship the one with the other, said collar being restricted in movement over said shafts by stop members on said shafts.

4. In a surgical instrument of the character described, an open spoon-like base conforming approximately to the shape of an infants cranium, a shaft leading from said base split at its uppermost portion, a second shaft bent inwardly then outwardly terminating in a handle, said outward bend disposed above the center of gravity of said base and said second named shaft attached to said first named shaft and embraced within the split of said first named shaft, said pivot being positioned substantially below the terminus of said first named shaft, a stop pin on said first named shaft cooperating with a recess on said second named shaft whereby said shafts may pivot in one direction only, a collar slidably mounted on said second named shaft adapted to move over the juncture between said shafts and hold them in rigid relationship the one with the other when they are in alignment.

JOHN L. MARCO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Graves Apr. 12, 1892 OTHER REFERENCES Number 

